{"podcast":{"title":"Fund/Build/Scale","slug":"fund-build-scale-6723964","podcast_index_feed_id":6723964,"rss_url":"https://feed.podbean.com/fundbuildscale/feed.xml","website_url":"https://fundbuildscale.substack.com","image_url":"https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/imglogo/image-logo/17670315/new_FBS_1400_x_1400_tile_ggrhbt.jpg","author":"Walter Thompson","episode_count":120,"summary":"After working for years in early-stage startups and as a journalist, here are three hard truths I’ve learned: 1. Success in Silicon Valley hinges on connections, hard work and luck. 2. Startups often fail because founders lack fundamental business knowledge. 3. Real, actionable advice comes from those who’ve actually done it. There’s no such thing as “founder DNA.” If you’re willing to take on risk and invest years of your life in something that has maybe a 10% chance of paying off — less if you’re a woman or person of color — you can be a startup founder. Here’s why I founded Fund/Build/Scale: 1. To help founders make fewer mistakes. 2. To share successful strategies that can accelerate your go-to-market journey. 3. To inspire more people to see themselves as potential founders. There’s a lot of overlooked talent out there, and we are missing out. This podcast is for anyone who’s interested in learning the basic skills required to launch a startup, secure initial funding and transform an idea into a sustainable business. I’m talking to guests about everything: finding a co-founder, conducting customer discovery, recruiting early employees, developing a PLG strategy, fundraising w…","last_synced_at":"2026-07-07T10:21:25.778921+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/fund-build-scale-6723964"},"episode":{"title":"Why Black Startup Founders Have to Play a Different Game","slug":"why-black-startup-founders-have-to-play-a-different-game","published_at":"2026-01-10T23:13:55+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/fund-build-scale-6723964/why-black-startup-founders-have-to-play-a-different-game","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/fund-build-scale-6723964","url":"https://fundbuildscale.podbean.com/e/why-black-startup-founders-have-to-play-a-different-game/","audio_url":"https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/9mjqqcdc86sk9fqu/Why_Black_Startup_Founders_Have_to_Play_a_Different_Game77soy.mp3","summary":"When you don’t have generational wealth or a built-in network, the startup path isn’t just harder — it’s different. In this episode, I’m joined by James Norman and Sean Green of Black Operator Ventures for a candid conversation about what early-stage founders actually need to understand to raise capital and scale companies when they’re coming from the outside. We talk about why fundraising is a power-dynamic game, not a meritocracy — and why underrepresented founders have to master the theater of venture capital without losing themselves in the process. James and Sean also break down what they look for when leading seed rounds, why warm intros function as the first real filter, and how founders can manufacture momentum even without friends-and-family money. This conversation goes deep on: How to position yourself when you don’t start at the same starting line The difference between venture-scale companies and businesses that shouldn’t chase VC Why execution, storytelling, and follow-up matter more than polish How to turn cold outreach into real human capital Why Black founders are uniquely positioned to exploit the current AI moment If you’re an underrepresented founder trying to de-risk your leap, get into the right rooms, or understand why the rules feel unwritten — this conversation names the rules out loud. RUNTIME 54:24 EPISODE BREAKDOWN (1:52) What motivated Sean and James to start Black Operator Ventures (6:51) Where are they looking for opportunities? (8:27) Top priority: Founders building real-world solutions with few regulatory hurdles (11:44) Why obtaining a warm intro to a VC is a founder's first test (15:20) Fundraising is theater: Study the audience to learn your role (22:29) Red flags first-time founders should avoid waving (27:00) Tactical advice for as…","meta_description":"When you don’t have generational wealth or a built-in network, the startup path isn’t just harder — it’s different. In this episode, I’m joined by James N…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":3264,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/fund-build-scale-6723964/episodes/why-black-startup-founders-have-to-play-a-different-game/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/fund-build-scale-6723964/why-black-startup-founders-have-to-play-a-different-game.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}